Preparation and performance of nanostructured porous thin cathode for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells by spin-coating method

To reduce the cathode–electrolyte interfacial polarization resistance of low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), a nanostructured porous thin cathode consisting of Sm_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ (SSC) and Ce_0.8Sm_0.2O_1.9 (SDC) was fabricated on an anode-supported electrolyte film using spin-coating technique. A suspension with nanosized cathode materials, volatilizable solvents and a soluble pore former was developed. The results indicated that the cell with the nanostructured porous thin cathode sintered at 950 °C showed relatively high maximum power density of 212 mW cm⁻² at 500 °C and 114 mW cm⁻² at 450 °C, and low interfacial polarization resistance of 0.79 Ω cm² at 500 °C and 2.81 Ω cm² at 450 °C. Hence, the nanostructured porous thin cathode is expected to be a promising cathode for low-temperature SOFCs.